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Headlines: Sept. 9, 2026

· The Pulse
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  • The City of Edmonton's public engagement campaign for the 2027-30 budget revealed residents' reluctance to raise taxes or cut services, with preferences for maintaining or improving services within the current budget. Participants prioritized road and pathway maintenance, particularly winter road maintenance, alongside funding for Edmonton Fire Rescue Services and the Edmonton Police Service. Most respondents favored reducing budgets for arts, culture, tourism, and inclusion, highlighting diverse community priorities.
  • Edmonton city council approved a new tax subclass that allows higher taxes on derelict commercial properties, including stalled construction sites with abandoned pits. The measure follows the City's derelict residential property tax subclass, which was introduced in 2024. Councillors said abandoned commercial properties have contributed to safety concerns, including fires that have damaged neighbouring businesses. The City must complete additional work before the new bylaw can be enforced.
  • Edmonton Fire Rescue Services is urging residents to take precautions with lithium-ion batteries after a townhouse fire in southeast Edmonton caused an estimated $470,000 in damage. The fire, reported early Sept. 8 near 46 Street and 21 Avenue, displaced 11 residents but caused no injuries and was later determined to have been caused by a battery malfunction. It was Edmonton's 20th lithium-ion battery fire this year, with related property damage exceeding $2.1 million. Fire officials advised residents to use approved chargers, keep batteries away from escape routes, and dispose of them safely.
  • The City of Edmonton said 97 Street has reopened after crews installed the steel structure for the new Chinatown Gate. Overnight closures are expected to return around Sept. 15.
  • Little DON'YA said it will close its downtown location this week after nearly two years in operation on Jasper Avenue. "While we really wanted a central location, the reality is Edmonton's downtown has changed, and as a responsible business, we recognize that we cannot compete with the ongoing construction, crime, and parking challenges in Edmonton's downtown area," the business said in a post online.
  • NAIT has broken ground on an Advanced Skills Centre planned for 2030, a facility described as the polytechnic's largest project to expand trades and technology training capacity. The 625,000-square-foot facility will consolidate 29 programs in areas including construction, transportation, manufacturing and energy.
  • Jonathan Coughlan, a former Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officer was appointed CEO of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams, becoming the agency's sixth leader. Coughlan spent 27 years with EPS before serving three years as the Alberta government's executive director of law enforcement and oversight. ALERT has about 350 police officers and civilian staff focused on combating serious and organized crime across Alberta.
  • A black bear was spotted wandering through Edmonton's Cumberland neighbourhood early Sept. 8, prompting a resident to alert police over safety concerns. Wildlife officials said there were several sightings between midnight and 1:30am, but no reports of aggressive behaviour, property damage or access to food attractants. University of Alberta ecologist Mark Boyce said bears are currently in hyperphagia, a period of intense feeding before winter, making them more likely to venture into urban areas in search of food.
  • The Business Council of Alberta is urging voters to reject separation in the Oct. 19 referendum, warning that leaving Canada could create economic uncertainty and put jobs, businesses and household finances at risk. Council president Adam Legge said Albertans can push Ottawa for greater fairness without taking what he called a "risky gamble" on separation. The council cautioned that issues including borrowing costs, property values, employment and access to national transportation networks could be affected.
  • To accommodate a surge in demand for Alberta's new driver's licences that include healthcare numbers and citizenship markers, registries will now accept expired passports for renewals if they expired within the past year. The move aims to simplify the renewal process after a 33% increase in July and a 23% increase in August highlighted public interest in the new licences.